Student world news round up 5/12/17

A Pakistani university last month began offering free tuition to transgender students in a bid to “return their self-respect and dignity”. Trans activists in Pakistan have applauded the decision by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), which followed on from a similar announcement earlier this year by the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in India.

“This is a positive, welcome and much-needed step by the AIOU,” Uzma Yaqoob, founder of the Forum for Dignity Initiatives, told Arab News. “The transgender community has a great desire to acquire and complete their education. I’m sure they’ll make use of this offer.”Full report on the New Now Next site

Kenya deports 30 for selling drugs in universities

Kenya has deported 30 people involved in drug trafficking within universities, following investigations launched in April into drug cartels. Fred Matiang’i, the acting interior cabinet secretary who is also the education minister, said some drug lords were using students to sell hard drugs in universities, leading to an increase in cases of unrest. He told the press last Monday: “We have recently deported over 30 drug peddlers posing as students in various universities in the country.”

Matiang’i said the government asked the institutions to ensure the drugs are done away with. “We have been fairly ruthless in deporting international students who have either been caught selling drugs or are part of cartels,” he said. Full report on The Star site

Academic charged for sharing her research findings (Denmark)

Brooke Harrington, an American professor of business and politics at Denmark’s Copenhagen Business School, has been criminally charged for breaching her work permit by giving public lectures outside of the university at which she works.

Ironically, the immigration authorities cited a lecture on tax evasion that she gave to members of the Danish Parliament and Danish tax authorities. The move by the immigration office is part of a wider crackdown on immigration that has effected several other foreign academics living and working in the country. Full report on the Inside Higher Ed site

Students turn to crowdfunding to cover fees

Two years ago charity worker Toni Morgan managed to crowdfund $95,000 (about R1.3 million) to fund her tuition and expenses after gaining acceptance to Harvard University. Having previously been homeless and a high school dropout, her campaign went viral and has since inspired several others across the world to turn to crowdfunding to cover tuition costs at top universities.

“It is really humbling, but it also speaks to what is happening in education,” Morgan says. “We are running out of ways to get money for the education we are told we should be able to get.” Read the full article on the Metro News Site